M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers

Armoured Personal Carrier (APC)
The M113 Armoured Personal Carrier (APC) is a tracked vehicle capable of travelling on road, across country over rough terrain, and through jungle. It also has limited amphious capability. It can carry an infantry section and, when the rear ramp is lowered, passengers can enter or exit the vehicle quickly.
Designed and built in the United States in the late 1950s, the M113 went into service with the US military in 1960. The M113 A1 was introduced to Australian service in 1964, and has been employed by armoured and mechanised units in Vietnam, Rwanda, and East Timor.
The first Australian APCs to arrive in South Vietnam were from 1 APC Troop, a reduced troop of ten M113A1 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from A Squadron, 4/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse Regiment, which arrived at Vung Tau on 8 June 1965. Initially armed with a M2 .50-calibre machine-gun, the M113A1 was fitted with a protective armour shield. They proved to be of limited value, and in the second half of 1966, APCs were retrospectively fitted with M74C turrets. Further improvements were made with the introduction of the Cadillac Gage T-50 Turret, which had either a .50 calibre- or .30-calibre machine-gun, or twin .30-calibre machine-guns which became standard from 1967.
Some carriers were also equipped to carry mortars. A rotating mortar baseplate was attached to the floor of the vehicle, which mounted an 81 mm mortar. Other APCs were equipped with the turret from a Saladin armoured car, which had a 76 mm gun, and were used as Fire Support Vehicles (FSV).
The FSVs were replaced by a later variant, the Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle (MRV), which was equipped with the turret from the FV101 Scorpion light tank. The M113AS3 upgraded the M113 with a new engine, drive train, and brakes, while the M113AS4 upgrade lengthened the vechicle with an additional road wheel and a new single-person turret designed by Tenix.
Specifications
M113A1
Armament: .50-calibre and .30-calibre machine-guns
Armour: 12–38 mm
Crew: 2–10
Power plant: GMC V6 diesel
Speed (max.): 66 kp/h
Length: 4.87 m
Height: 2.41 m
Width: 2.69 m
Weight: 10.5 t
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